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I have a very high calcium score. What next?
Just joined the site and I'm looking to share with others who have had a high calcium score. I found out today that mine is 2996 and I am scared by this. I am 61 and I am totally asymptomatic. Now I feel like a walking time bomb. I am thinking of requesting an angiogram to see if there's any narrowing anywhere and if it can be corrected with a stent. After a second heart doctor told me that the plaque buildup might be uniform over the course of years with no big problem areas, I am encouraged. But the score still freaks me out, specifically my LAD at 1333. I don't smoke or drink but I have to lose 40 lbs.
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I see. I had a carotid ultrasound last year that showed no plaque and due to that my PC thought there’s no need to get calcium score, but I think I will anyway. I’m just not sure what I’ll do with the information. Since I have type 1 diabetes and family history of heart disease, I live and treat myself as if I do with taking statin, controlling weight and insulin levels, tight, nutritious diet, monitoring blood pressure, getting regular labs, no smoking, limiting alcohol, daily exercise, medical visits every 3 months, etc. What would I do differently if I had a high calcium score? With no symptoms would I get invasive test?
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Hug
2 ReactionsI don't believe so, I think you will need an angiography for that, the calcium score just tells you the amount of calcification, not the percentage of blockage.
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1 ReactionNot that I can find. M58, CAC score 716, so far no blockages or symptoms.
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1 ReactionDoes the calcium score reflect the degree of blockage you have?
That's right. Heart attacks happen due to rupture of the soft gooey plaque which is unstable. Long term 90% calcification blockages don't cause heart attacks. Stable plaque might cause chest pain but won't all of a sudden burst. I know some folks in their 90s with CAC scores of 4000, just make lifestyle changes, take a statin and be on the lookout that angina.
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Hug
1 ReactionBe careful. Calcium stabilizes arteries…
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1 ReactionIn general, if a new or "off label" use for a drug is under clinical trial, it would be very unusual for a practitioner to prescribe it until the reports are published.
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2 ReactionsThere have been studies done showing that tetra- and doxycyclines actually remove calcium from vessels. I believe trials were run for two months and dosages weee being determined last time I checked. I need to follow up. I had to have bypass because of calcium blockage in my LAD. I some build up in 2 other arteries. I want to try the antibiotic and see if it works for me. Can’t get anyone to listen.
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1 ReactionWe used the good arteries in multiple bypass surgery 19 years ago. But
thanks for the suggestion.
Lester
The only solution to a 100% blockage is a bypass. You probably have developed some corollary arteries to compensate for the blockage.